(Image source: Xinhua)

 

BY UNA LUE

ANCHOR BLAKE HANSON

You're watching multisource world news analysis from Newsy.

 

The Chinese navy launches its first aircraft carrier sea trial.
CNTV quotes military sources on the event.

“After returning from its trial, the aircraft carrier will continue refitting and testing work. The carrier was originally built by the former Soviet Union which named it ‘Varyag’ but failed to complete its construction before collapsing in 1991. The still-unnamed aircraft carrier was an empty shell. Ukraine disarmed it and removed its engines before selling it to China. “

China says its carrier is not -- at this point -- an effective war machine.
But Al Jazeera reports -- that’s cold comfort to China’s neighbors, who are more than a little nervous about the trial.

“In the past year, China has seen a flare-up in territorial spats with Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam and had its relations strained with South Korea... Japan seems particularly concerned; China's defence budget has increased by 70 per cent over the past five years, while Japan's has shrunk by roughly 3 per cent. “

But a writer for the UK’s Telegraph says -- one little carrier is nothing to worry about.

“China is a very long way from creating an operational carrier battle group... Not only must the Chinese perfect carrier take-offs and landings, which requires mastering catapult and arrester-wire technologies, but also the art of integrating their carriers into the cocoon of destroyers and submarines needed to protect it. “

Maybe the carrier is more symbolic than practical--
But CNN’s Barbara Starr argues -- it isn’t the carrier itself that makes other countries nervous -- it’s China’s ambition to beef up its arsenal.

“When you put all the pieces together, an aircraft carrier, fighter jets, missiles have increasing long ranges.
(FLASH)
You look at the map you just saw the tension raising on the Korean peninsula. There are a tension erupt the region beyond it. China can develop the military capability by putting this all together and extending its reach and becomes a player on the world military stage. “

And one analyst tells the BBC -- the United States might be the one with the most to lose as China moves closer to becoming a world military power.
BBC has the quote.

“All of these (Chinese weapon designs) can target US bases, US ships and US carriers in Asia. They will make it much more dangerous for US carrier fleets to operate close to China's coast, pushing them out further offshore. Taiwan, Korea and Japan that look to the US for their security may start to question how much America can really protect them in future. “

Nearby naval powers India and Thailand already have own their own aircraft carriers. The United States has 11.
 
 
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Transcript by Newsy

World News

Analysis: China's First Aircraft Carrier Trial

August 10, 2011
(2:39)
China says its carrier is not -- at this point -- an effective war machine, but skeptics remain.
   
TRANSCRIPT

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